Working dead: the contracts that refuse to die

It's been nearly 10 years since Tony Abbott promised "to kill, cremate and bury" WorkChoices — but it seems the controversial industrial regime never really died.

In most cases, the agreements that were struck under WorkChoices between 2005 and 2009 have expired, but some employers have continued to roll them over and to sign up new employees under the outdated contracts.

Lawyers call them "zombie agreements" — contracts where thousands of Australians are being paid less than the relevant award, and are denied the usual entitlements and conditions.